Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1887-06-16

# that could speak to her, yet We
e found them all sufficient to build for
/ ourselves future with every stone a
0 wealth OF happiness. But at the very
!, foundation of our hopes We met re-
$ butt. One night, as We returned from
r the little chapel. she confessed her
, fears to me. Her father, blind to
r everything around him but his own
; interests. had after the fashion of his
conntrymen, entered into negotiations
! for the barter of his daughter with
. an old and afiluent member of one Of
the noble houses of France. said
nothing, but loving her, went home
to think. As | passed through the
} village, the peasants, many of them
half-naked, all of them wanting bread,
were gathered around speaker who.
in fiery terms, exhorted them to
break the chains of despotism that
bound them and to establish the new
order. They banned me as | passed
through their midst for was from
the chateau. In the words addressed
to Louis, the King, it was no longer
a revolt in France, it was revolu.
tion. That night, when | arrived at
my lonely rooms and lay down to
rest, Louis XVI, had left Paris and
was on the road to st. Menehould.
When he was brought back, and the
citizens received him in silence.
foresaw that crisis was rapidly ap-
preaching, and determined to make
at least one effort to secure the hand
of the woman | loved. | would 60
boldly to her father and state my
wishes. He received me with his
usual courtesy, treated my request
with the most business-like air, re-
fused me with smile, regetted that
other arrangements had been made.
"What could do? Pleading with
such a man would not have recon
pensed the loss of dignity entailed.
was dumb before him, but my brain
reeled under the blow; and as | left
the chateau and the great gates closed
behind me, it seemed that my life
had been left in that mass of stone
and brick that stood over the village.
Along the roadside the ragged peas
ants gathered the harvest. | envied
them their lot they had their wives.
perhaps the women they loved. The
gay clothing Of the fields, laden with
the golden grain, irritated me- Why
was all SO fair, and so sorrowful, so
devoid of hope, by which alone man
loves? All the dream is ended, yet
| would live my life again for repe-
tition OF those hours.
Il returned to The city, now dark
and overcast, as whispers of the ter
rible reality forced themselves from
the slums and the low faubourgs into
the great palace and the houses OF
the rich. Many fled many hid them
selves in fear; none knew when the
reaping would come in all its hideous
intensity. lrarely left my rooms, yet
| hated their loneliness. could not
stir in the streets the surface gayety,
never stilled during the period of
bloodshed and vice, CALLED me to des-
pair as my heart went out to the
chateau, or rather TO the fair woman
within its walls. | wolld have
s,udied-her face was on every page,
her eyes looked into mine from every
painting Hope having gone. des-
pair was followed by deadly hatred
Of the man who had broken both our
lives In my rage heaped obloquy
upon his aged head. l have been
punished may my punishment atone !
81 waited my chance for revenge
for nearly year. 1t came. Visiting
again the Jacobin Club, where nearly
two years before | had heard Jean
} Paul Marat denouncs the monarchy,
| listened to violent and unrestrained
demands for the immediate sacrifice
of the leading nobility who had the
courage to remain in their native
country. The scene was one I shall
never forget; the clanor Of the ruff
an crew-their faces rendered more
repulsive as the fiickering oil-lamps
shed their yellow rays upon them
! resounded through the vaulted cham
Der like the roar of distant thunder.
I Had you pierced into the hearts Of
such man you would have found no
} trace Of affection, Of good, of right
} knowledge, Of any instinct Of human
! ity. They were like so many wolves
, bowling for their prey, and the sight
of them would have chilled the brav-
: est heart. watched the proceedings
from a bench in the rear OF the room.
, At length silence was somewhat re-
; stored, and terrible process known